Pensacola Saenger Theatre's Extreme Makeover

Standing in the middle of the Saenger Theatre with the lights dim and the seats empty, there's an inexplicable energy emanating in the aisles of "The Grand Dame of Palafox." Yanked from the shadows of disrepair in 1981 and again refurbished in 1996, her Spanish Baroque grandeur hints at the early days, when the Pensacola theater hosted a succession of Vaudeville-type road shows, Broadway plays and silent screen classics in the late '20s.

The sconces leading to the stage flicker like an old-school film projector full of fuzzy Technicolor memories. The main lights, taking a few minutes to warm up before they flood the entire room, showcase the beauty of the 82-year-old theater with a majestic shimmer.

When the Saenger is completely lit, however, her flaws become obvious.

"The renovation project is definitely something I like to talk about," says Doug Lee, the Saenger's general manager who has worked with the "Grand Dame" since she was transformed from an X-rated movie theater in the late '70s to Pensacola's cultural epicenter in 1981.

Plans for the expansion and renovation of the theater were approved thanks to the local option sales tax passing in March 2006. From the fund, the City of Pensacola will contribute $6 million to the project and Escambia County will allocate $2 million, with the remaining $8 million coming from fundraisers and private donations including a Florida Cultural Facilities Grant for $1.3 million.

"The project is working quietly in the background right now," he says, holding an architectural mockup of the scheduled renovations. "We're working on the nuts and bolts of design and development and the city is in the process of accepting proposals from a construction manager."

With renovations slotted to begin in late summer, Lee says the entire main floor and balconies of the theater will be reseated. Finishes to the walls will be restored to match the historic color schemes from the 1920s. The orchestra pit will be expanded and, most important, a new two-story addition will be added to the South of Palafox spanning from Jefferson to Alcaniz streets-to accommodate dressing rooms and storage areas. The entire process will close the theater for about 13 months, sending local performance groups to temporary new homes.

"When the Saenger was converted from a movie theater in the '80s to what it is today, it was a wonderful step," Lee explains, before giving a walking tour of the Palafox Place gem. "The arts groups in Pensacola have grown over the past 25 years and, to be quite frank, it doesn't fit anymore."

Dr. Kyle Marrero, the Pensacola Opera artistic director and University of West Florida's music department chair, agrees with Lee.

"We've been very creative in our ability to create grand productions at the Saenger because it's a lovely place to go, see and hear opera," he says. "For us, the major part of the renovations is our ability to actually produce opera. With the planned changes, we have no limitations with our planned repertoire and the place will be more comfortable to bring the highest quality artists to our area."

Marrero says he's had a few backstage nightmares while producing the more elaborate operas like Bizet's "Carmen" and Puccini's "Turandot."

"We used every nook and cranny of that theater to dress people," he jokes. He adds that six members of his orchestra pit in "Turandot" had to fit in the audience balconies, which were rigged with a teleprompter so they could see the conductor during the shows. "The children had to dress in a storefront across the street and called over by walkie-talkie. With 'Carmen,' we rented a 24-foot truck and put it outside and had people in the rain load set pieces in and out because it couldn't all fit behind the stage."

Cultural leaders like Marrero and the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra's former executive director Ari Solotoff-who recently relocated to Portland, Maine, to fiscally manage their regional orchestra-began spearheading the project almost two years ago.

"All of the major arts organizations in the area have come together and have spoken in a unified voice that this project needs to take place," says Solotoff back in August 2004. "Everyone in the arts community is pushing this project. It needs to be done. It's not an option."

The Saenger Theatre Redevelopment Committee, chaired by construction company owner Bill Greenhut, earned the support from the city council in February '06. The project was added to the 1-cent local option sales tax that was approved almost exactly one year ago.

Lee, who hopes to have the renovations complete by fall 2008, says the community's passion for the arts has helped make the restoration project a reality.

"People feel connected to the Saenger because of its history," Lee says, turning off the theater's lights. "This is where they had their first date and it may be nostalgic for some because it stirs up memories from their childhood. But it's the community's passion for the arts that really made this happen. And arts people, as you know, are extremely passionate people."